


This Isn't You

by Snowy_Cas



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Mind Control, Possession, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:22:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26926543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowy_Cas/pseuds/Snowy_Cas
Summary: "Who are you?" Merlin spat. "And what have you done with Arthur?"He was met with a menacing laugh that resonated throughout the room. It was an awful sound for two reasons. One, there was no joy, no kind of pleasure in it whatsoever. It was a sound of pure hate and malice, a sound only someone pure evil could make, and two, he recognized the voice."No," whispered Merlin.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 68
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	This Isn't You

Merlin woke up, dazed and not seeing clearly. The corners of his visions were blurry and he couldn't seem to make out more than a dark room with a figure leaning against one of the walls. His ears were ringing and his head ached dully. He was starting to come to his senses now, and realized he was sitting on a hard chair, his hands and feet tied up with a taut rope. The skin on his wrists was raw from the rope being tied too tightly, and he gasped out as he tried to pull his hands out from the knot. His efforts were unsuccessful. 

He relaxed back into the chair and tried to think about how he had gotten himself into this situation.

Earlier that morning, a villager from the lower town had requested an audience with the king, insisting that she had seen someone performing magic near the Darkling Woods, and that others she knew had said the same. Arthur believed her and put together a small team to investigate her teams. Merlin had managed to convince him not to take too many people, that perhaps whomever was practicing magic could be reasoning with. Arthur had agreed, albeit reluctantly, but it was still more than Merlin could ever had gotten from him when Uther was still alive. Of course Uther's death hadn't made Merlin happy, but the changes he'd seen Arthur go through since then were something to be proud of. He was already a great king.

When the team arrived, there was no sight of any life, save a bird or two. Arthur had suggested everyone split up, taking Merlin with him and sending the knights on their separate ways. For a few moments, Merlin and Arthur walked in silence together, surveying the fresh green landscape. The sunlight had been glittering through the full leaves on branches overhead. Trees stood tall and grand all around them. Things were quite peaceful, really, until the sharp crack of a twig had sent Arthur into an instant sprint towards the noise. Merlin had tried to catch up with him, but Arthur had gotten too much of a lead on him. 

Once Merlin ran out of breath, he found himself in a sunny clearing where the grass below his feet had been trampled, showing evidence of a scuffle. Merlin had squatted down to brush the crushed blades with the tips of fingers, thinking to himself something must've happened to Arthur, maybe the sorcerer. The next thing he knew, a sharp pain shot through the back of his head, causing him to crumple to the forest floor and making the bright world around him fade into black.

Now he was here, wherever _here_ was, restrained with a mysterious stranger and Arthur nowhere to be seen. The figure was still leaning idly with their head downturned, hiding any identifying features. 

"Who are you?" Merlin spat. "And what have you done with Arthur?"

He was met with a menacing laugh that resonated throughout the room. It was an awful sound for two reasons. One, there was no joy, no kind of pleasure in it whatsoever. It was a sound of pure hate and malice, a sound only someone pure evil could make, and two, he recognized the voice.

"No," whispered Merlin.

The figure pushed themselves off the wall and sauntered towards Merlin. Each step was slow and deliberate, as if purposefully made for dramatic effect. Once they were close enough, they turned lifted their head to look with a crooked smile at Merlin, confirming his fears.

In front of him stood Arthur, still wearing his armor from earlier that day, not a hair on his head out of place. Yet Merlin instantly sensed that he wasn't the same. There was a coldness about this Arthur that Merlin had never felt before. The way his eyes flicked over Merlin sitting there, restrained and helpless, the way he stood completely still, not even bothering to shift his feet, the way his face showed no sign of wavering from his cruel expression.

Merlin did his best to fight back the tears that had begun to sting his eyes and joked, "Is this because I missed a spot on your armor today? Because I was going to get it later I swear."

"You know what this is for, _Emrys_ ," Arthur's voice hissed. Merlin froze. That was the name the Druids called him. Arthur had never heard that name before, and would certainly never address Merlin by it. This was not his friend.

As much as he could without tipping the chair over, Merlin leaned back. "Wh-who _are_ you?" he asked again.

The imposter started to pace back and forth in front of Merlin. He spoke, "For years now, you've betrayed our kind. You've shown loyalty to those who choose to execute us simply for being who were are. I'd expect you to do the very opposite, considering, well," he paused, then gestured towards Merlin's body, "everything."

"What are you talking about? I-"

He cut off as Arthur rushed towards Merlin and gripped the arms of the chair, then yelled, "Uther and his good for nothing son slaughtered us and you helped them like the traitor you are!" He was mere inches from Merlin's face now, and Merlin was shocked to see his eyes flash gold. Arthur must've encountered the sorcerer in the forest and was put under a spell. He had no choice but to try and reach through to the man he knew.

Merlin protested, "Arthur, please, snap out of it. I know you can fight this."

The impostor sneered in disgust, taking his hands off of the chair and stepping back. "You're not listening to me."

"Come on, Arthur, please."

"How can you stand by watching those who accept you be burned, while you make no attempt to stop it?" he demanded. "In fact, you've even caused it to happen."

Merlin cried out, "This isn't you!"

"You're a murderer!"

Those words coming from Arthur's mouth wounded Merlin, especially because they were true. He had made mistakes in the past, joined the fight against magic instead of doing what he believed to be right, but it was all for Arthur, for the great king he would soon be. He hoped once Arthur came out from under the spell, he would remember none of this. Clearly, his attempts at getting through to his friend were not working, and he'd have to find some other way to fix this after he escaped. Merlin tugged on the ropes binding him, getting a feel for just how tight they were. It was nothing a little magic could help with, he just needed the right spell. As well, the chair didn't seem to be made out of the strongest wood, and perhaps with enough effort, Merlin could break free and untie his bindings by hand.

He was so focused on getting out of there, that he didn't notice Arthur's long silver sword being drawn until it had plunged into Merlin's gut.

Merlin's eyes widened as he gasped out in shock. He stared down at his stomach and the blade that was driven into his stomach, now dripping with blood. He didn't feel any pain. Blood was rushing in his ears and everything in the world around him grew quiet. This wasn't real. It simply wasn't happening. The sword in him was just an illusion, nothing more than a bad dream.

Then Arthur gave it a ragged twist and Merlin was sent flying back into reality. The pain was blinding now, causing Merlin's vision to go in and out of black. All the tears he'd been repressing earlier spilled out. He desperately gulped for air as he felt his lungs grow heavier within his chest, but it was no use. He could already feel himself choking on his own blood.

He was dying.

The last thing he saw before the darkness overtook him was Arthur's eyes fading back into their beautiful deep blue. Merlin couldn't see or speak, he could only feel the white hot stabbing in his gut as the sword was taken out and hear the voice of his friend, shaking with panic.

"Merlin?"

"No, no no no no no, this can't be happening, I didn't mean to!"

"Wake up Merlin, I'm so sorry. Why did you never tell me?"

"Please, just wake up."

Merlin thought he could feel warm hands on either side of his face, caressing him, but they almost felt like no more than the ghost of a touch. Even that faded away, along with Arthur's breaking voice. It was now like rather like falling asleep, the comfort of the other side drawing him in deep. He was relaxed and content as he let his chin drop to his chest and his jaw go slack. Then came the last thing Merlin would ever experience in this world, the lasts words he heard, the last thought to pass through his mind, the last of everything.

"I love you."

**Author's Note:**

> idek i lowkey hate this but i hope someone enjoys!! hahaaha


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